This disclosure relates to embodiments for providing perineal care, including assessment of skin integrity to a bedridden patient. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to providing access for the single caregiver to provide the bedridden patient perineal care and timely skin integrity assessment, and further providing the single caregiver the capability of lifting, turning, and transferring patients with the aid of a patient lift.
Immediate perineal care and skin integrity assessment are a necessity for any bedridden patient. Perineal care is performed after a bedridden patient uses the bedpan, becomes incontinent, or as part of daily bathing. During the facilitation of perineal care, the caregiver is able to observe the patient's perineal area for signs of skin breakdown, infection, skin excoriation, lesions or redness. Such care is required to be performed properly and regularly in order to reduce the risk of pressure sores, infections, or septicemia.
Further to avoid the formation of bed sores by providing the caregiver timely access to the perineal area, specially developed bed sheets and patient lifts are used to facilitate the frequent repositioning of bedridden patients. Ideally, a single caregiver, with the aid of a patient lift and rated sheets for lifting up to 1,100 pounds can reposition most any patient in bed, as well as turn the patient with minimal physical effort.
As safe patient handling regulations continue to be legislated, there is need for a body sling with patient handling sheets that may be used with the aid of a patient lift to provide perineal access and skin integrity assessment for a single caregiver while helping to maintain the caregiver's safety, avoiding caregiver injury, and reducing facility cost and liability.